Washington, D.C. – House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) released the following statement regarding the administration’s decision to pay all of a $1.7 billion settlement with Iran in cash:

“What’s worse than a $400 million cash ransom to Iran? A $1.7 billion cash ransom to Iran.

“What on earth was the White House thinking?  Sending the world’s leading state sponsor of terror pallets of untraceable cash isn’t just terrible policy.  It’s incredibly reckless, and it only puts bigger targets on the backs of Americans.

“It’s no wonder that while the administration tried to hide the truth about the payment, Iran seized new American hostages.  This cash bonanza has emboldened Iran’s radical regime, and undermined America’s national security.  It cannot happen again.  That’s why I’ve introduced legislation to stop more dangerous cash payouts to Iran.”

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